Kyle Sandilands rejects ARN contract termination, launches legal fight over $100m radio deal

Kyle Sandilands has launched a fierce response after the Australian Radio Network (ARN) moved to terminate his $100 million contract, setting the stage for a high-stakes legal battle.

The shock announcement on Wednesday follows a fallout between Sandilands and long-time co-host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson, with the broadcaster claiming the network escalated a routine on-air dispute into a full-blown crisis, Sunrise reported.

“ARN has just announced that they’ve terminated my contract.

“I don’t accept it.

“My lawyers told them last week this would be invalid. And guess what? It is.”

Sandilands said the conflict stemmed from a disagreement on air, something he described as typical of their decades-long partnership, but alleged the network’s response went far beyond the incident itself.

“Let me tell you what actually happened here. Jackie and I had a blue on air. That’s it. The kind of thing we’ve done a hundred times in 25 years. And ARN took the situation and decided to try and burn the place down.

“They sacked Jackie. They suspended me. They wouldn’t even let me pick up the phone to call her or anyone else on the show.

“Then — and this is the bit that gets me — once they’d made it impossible for the show to go on, they turn around and say, ‘You didn’t fix it. You’re fired!’”

He said he had apologised to Henderson immediately after the clash and remained willing to return to air under various conditions.

“I said sorry to Jackie the night of our blow-up. And when I said I was sorry to Jackie, I meant it. I still mean it. But it doesn’t mean I will stand by while I am separated from the people who’ve listened to me every morning for 25 years.

“Before they suspended me, ARN said, ‘Let us handle it,’ and I listened.

“In the two weeks since, I’ve done everything ARN asked. I said, put me back on air. I’ll work with Jackie. I’ll work with someone else. Whatever you need. Every single time – ‘no.’”

Sandilands accused ARN of using the fallout as an opportunity to walk away from a lucrative agreement signed just a year ago.

“They weren’t interested. They didn’t want to fix this. They thought they saw a chance to get out of the contract they signed with me a year ago, and they ran with it.

“ARN knew exactly what they were getting when they signed my deal. They’ve worked with me for over a decade.

“They knew how I work, they knew the show, and they were happy to pay for it — because I delivered number one ratings. Year after year. Hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for their business.

“I held up my end. I always have.”

The broadcaster said the network’s decision raised serious questions about its willingness to honour contractual obligations.

“So, you tell me — why would ARN prefer to breach a contract and pay the legal consequences rather than honour the contract and pay me to do what I do best? That’s the bit that doesn’t make sense.

“I’ve got a contract until 2034. I’ve got rights under that contract. And ARN hasn’t honoured the contract. So, it’s over to my lawyers.”

Sandilands also addressed his audience directly, signalling he intends to fight the decision.

“To the people who tune in every morning — you lot are the reason I’ve done this for 25 years. You didn’t get a say in this. Neither did I. But my lawyers will.

“I’m not done. Not by a long way.”

ARN Media has confirmed it has formally moved to terminate Kyle Sandilands’ contract, bringing an end to the long-running Kyle and Jackie O show.

In a statement to the ASX, the company said it had issued a notice of termination to Mr Sandilands and his company, Quasar Media Services Pty Ltd.

The network said the decision followed an earlier warning issued on March 3, when it alleged Mr Sandilands’ conduct during a February 20 broadcast amounted to serious misconduct and a breach of its agreement.

According to ARN, Mr Sandilands was given 14 days to address the issue, but the matter was not resolved, prompting the termination.

As a result, the Kyle and Jackie O show will no longer air.